Decoding Life with MCB: Decoy Proteins

Life is extraordinary. So is the work we do. In a brand new podcast, Decoding Life with MCB, the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explores the impact of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni in each episode.

Taboo Buster: Nicole Williams works to improve women’s reproductive health through education and new treatment options

Nicole Williams is founder and CEO of the Gynecology Institute of Chicago. The institute provides services to 20,000 patients, combining alternative and traditional medicine and offering techniques ranging from acupuncture to a leading-edge, minimally invasive procedure for treating fibroids, which...

Scientists join together to present findings on impact of lipids on metabolic diseases

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign recently hosted the 4th Big Ten Academic Alliance Lipid meeting, bringing together dozens of scientists from across the country to share their expertise on how lipids impact metabolic diseases.

'Molecular Velcro' enables tissues to sense, react to mechanical force

The Velcro-like cellular proteins that hold cells and tissues together also perform critical functions when they experience increased tension. A new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study observed that when tugged upon in a controlled manner, these proteins – called cadherins – communicate...

Biochemistry professor Nicholas Wu awarded Michelson Prize to advance vaccine, immunology research

The Michelson Medical Research Foundation and Human Vaccines Project on Tuesday recognized three outstanding early career researchers, including University of Illinois biochemistry professor Nicholas Wu, with the Michelson Prizes: Next Generation Grants. Each winner will be awarded $150,000 to...

University of Illinois alumni establish scholarship fund for undergraduate students

Illinois alumni Drs. Carole and Alan Stivers recently established a BEST Scholarship Endowment Fund to support outstanding undergraduates in the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology. The Biology, Experience, Scholarship, and Training (BEST) Program was established by the School of MCB and...

In Memoriam: John M. Clark, Jr., biochemistry department pioneer, 1932-2022

Professor John M. Clark, Jr., one of the earliest members of what later became the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, passed away peacefully on Jan. 2, 2022, in Estero, Fla. He was 89 years old.

Faculty selected for Big Ten Academic Alliance leadership development programs

Faculty and staff members from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been chosen to participate in the Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program and the Big Ten Academic Alliance Department Executive Officer Seminar.

Association of Computing Machinery recognizes researchers for their novel SARS-CoV2 simulations

Congratulations to the University of Illinois scientists who were part of two teams selected as finalists for a prestigious award that celebrates outstanding achievement in high-performance computing.

Researchers explore the molecular mechanisms of a promising antiviral defense system

In the last decade, scientists have discovered that the antiviral system known as cGAS-STING is an important innate immune system in humans because it senses double-stranded DNA in cytoplasm resulting from viral and bacterial infections. Recent research shows that the cGAS-STING system may have its...